A State Of Surprising Euphoria

Clawed away tooth and nail – just to get pulled back in.

Like with many, many, many other unfortunate souls, Magdalena was an orphan as a child. Though the generosity of an older woman who took her in made sure that the brief time was just that – a brief time. In the years that Maggie lived with her, life was good. She was loved, fed, clothed, and even though she couldn’t play like normal children because of the woman’s age, she still had a wonderful childhood.

Like most things though, it couldn’t last. When she turned ten, Magdalena was found by her adoptive mother playing with a plant which turned to metal at the touch and will of the young child. Paralyzed by fear and horror at the fact that her child was a witch, the woman dropped to the ground. Unmoving and hand over her heart when she finally stopped breathing.

Maggie ran out of terror for her life. Not fulling understanding the situation but knowing that she could not be around when the authorities showed up. She kept on running for years, bouncing from place to place until she found and dirty and dingy circus tent with people in it that took her in almost immediately. Feeding her and - in Markus’ case - loving her almost instantly. But once again it seemed that she was not destined for happiness. Saddened by the act of thieving and scared of Markus’ personality shift – she ran once again. Turning to the nearby city to try to live an honest and good life.

It was then that she met Eva. The young orphan child reminding her so much of herself and stealing her heart immediately as soon as the girl showed her a doll that could move on its own.

She started up a home and shop, she taught her new daughter everything she knew and finally seemed to settle into a happy life, even with the heartbreak that seemed to follow every relationship she tried.

He was groomed for the life of a criminal.

It’s not uncommon for parents to disown their own children – effectively making them orphans and leaving them to fend for themselves in the cruel world. Markus was one of these children at Ground Zero in the city. Very quickly, he turned to thievery and pickpocketing to get by. Whoever would think that a young child was the one behind their missing coin?

He keeps to himself how he met his Master. All that is known was that one day he was brought to the dingy and run-down circus tent and his formal training began immediately. Punished harshly for failing even a simple task – Markus excelled in the art of thievery and even pushed past his Master’s expectations. He was happy enough in his life. He was the prodigy of the secret group of thieves, he was slowly drawing more and more of a crowd in for the actual Circus, and he had the love of his life by his side: Magdalena.

It still wasn’t enough for him. With his charisma and confidence, Markus rallied the troupe to his side and with their blessing he struck down his Master, and the closest thing to a father he ever had. Becoming the true Ringmaster and leader. He set his sights and bigger and better things to bring them out of the mud, and to give his love the life she truly deserved.

He never expected for her to leave him.

It threw his entire life out of perspective and the change in attitude was immediate. Becoming as harsh and foolish as his former Master, Markus still has his sights on bigger and better things – yes – but in the wrong kind of way.

Everything she has ever had was hard fought for – including her life.

Growing up on the dirt streets of Ground Zero is hard for anyone, but especially so for orphans. No one willing to take them in for a multitude of reasons. So it’s common for young ones to die silently in the alleyways that are home to box forts unlovingly called “Orphan City”. Scarlette was one of these poor children.

Lucky enough to make it to her teenage years without dying, Scarlette was found wandering around dehydrated and hallucinating. The women who found her – the ladies of the night – took pity upon her and brought her back to a real bed and fed her a real meal. The actions immediately earning them each the title of Mother from young Scarlette, and they were more than happy to be considered as such.

She lived with them for many years, though never taking on the profession of her mothers. Instead, she was more than happy to just learn from them. How to talk her way into a man’s wallet, how to seduce with nothing more than bedroom eyes and a twitch of the lips, how to put on makeup, and how to do it all without losing who she really was deep inside – these lessons she took to heart and excelled in. The thought of doing anything different with her life was not even in her mind: until the day she met Magdalena.